Bond between Ole Miss WR Tre Harris and Giants WR Malik Nabers prepared duo for stardom

Ole Miss receiver Tre Harris took the college football world by storm in 2023. So much so that he earned preseason All-SEC first team honors.

Receiver Malik Nabers terrorized defenses when he played for LSU. The NFL took notice, and he was drafted sixth overall by the Giants in the spring.

Before this duo rose to prominence, they were teammates at Comeaux High School in Lafayette, Louisiana. Harris was a quarterback at the time. Heading into his junior year, he considered giving up football to focus on basketball. Nabers was not going to let that happen.

“I was like ‘bro I need a quarterback, I’m gonna be a really good receiver. We should have a really good football team.’ He was like ‘bro I’m gonna think about it.’ This went on every day, I was like ‘bro please come on and play football,'” Nabers said.

“He was definitely one of the bigger voices out of everybody on the team trying to get me to come back and I’m glad I did,” Harris said.

Comeaux ran an option offense. With Harris and Nabers at the forefront, it was unstoppable.

“All the go balls and post balls that he threw to me were caught because it was all play action with the run game,” Nabers said.

“As soon as it got to third down you knew where that ball was going, straight up to number 13 Malik Nabers,” Harris said.

Nabers brought Harris back to the football field, and Harris helped Nabers stay on it.

“I was pretty bad in school,” Nabers said. “He was that extra mentor and would get me to calm down. He kept my head on straight. To have him when I was younger was a blessing for sure.”

“He saw me taking AP classes and honors classes and that boosted him. He thought if he can do it then I can go out there, put more effort into the classroom, things like that,” Harris said.

The two stayed in contact often while pursuing their goals at LSU and Ole Miss.

“Every single Saturday we’d text each other just saying ‘hey good luck brother go out there and do what you’re supposed to do. Go prove to everybody that you are as good as you know you are.'” Harris said.

“It’s that brotherly love that we got. To have that extra brother on the other side of the world that is rooting for you, there’s much love for that,” Nabers said.

Nabers is busy preparing for his rookie season with the Giants. Harris is ready to be a key piece for an Ole Miss team that has real college football playoff aspirations. Through it all, they’re constantly reminded that they wouldn’t be in this position without each other.

“I don’t want to get emotional. I’m so proud of what he’s become,” Nabers said. “I always wanted to see him succeed more than I did myself. Seeing him be that player that I know he’s capable of means the world to me.”

“He inspires me every day,” Harris said. “Every time I see him on social media making plays in the NFL I always tell myself I know I can do it. Rooting for him, I’m proud of him, I love him and I hope he continues to do what he does. I’m super excited for him and hope I can meet him up top in the NFL eventually.”